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Europe’s economy not yet on solid ground as businesses sweat
Tuesday, May 14th, 2019
at , Economy | World

Euro-area GDP growth tops expectations in the 1Q, but the damage so far has already pushed the ECB to delay interest-rate hikes

ZURICH • Europe has a long way to go, if it’s to deliver on the hope sparked by recent economic numbers.

While there are hints that the bloc’s sharp deceleration is ending, there’s no escaping fresh doubts over global trade, ongoing weakness in German manufacturing, uncertainty over China’s growth and Brexit.

That’s got some of Europe’s big corporate names continuing to warn of a “volatile” backdrop.

Euro-area GDP growth topped expectations at 0.4% in the first quarter (1Q), and a similar number is predicted tomorrow from Germany, the region’s biggest economy.

That would signal the outlook isn’t as bad as feared, but sustaining the upturn probably requires a clear improvement in confidence to help investment and demand.

A European Commission sentiment measure has been falling almost non-stop and is down 9% since the start of 2018.

A swift reversal looks less likely since the US unleashed new trade tariffs on China last Friday, and China said it’ll retaliate. Add escalating tensions in the Middle East and oil prices up 30% this year and it’s a mix that doesn’t appear conducive to inspiring “animal spirits”.

The car industry is under particular pressure. It was already facing issues including weaker Chinese demand, disruption from new emissions tests and the transition to electric. US tariffs — US President Donald Trump is due to decide by May 18 whether to slap levies on car imports, though the date could be extended — would be a damaging blow.

Volkswagen AG’s Audi suffered a 13% slide in April sales, and such results are spilling over to suppliers.

Car parts maker Continental AG last Thursday reported a drop in 1Q income, though it sees a better second half (2H).

“The economic backdrop remains uncertain — German industry has not clearly emerged from its soft patch and the threat of US auto tariffs continues to loom,” Chris Hare, an economist at HSBC Holdings plc, said in a report yesterday.

“There are plenty of reasons to remain cautious about the growth outlook for Europe.”

Economists currently foresee euro-area growth in 2019 of 1.1%, less than half the pace projected for the US.

The bloc’s better 1Q means that could be revised up, but the damage so far has already pushed the European Central Bank (ECB) to delay interest-rate hikes, and German 10-year bond yields have tumbled below zero.

“Germany’s economy should show evidence of a rebound in the 1Q, providing the ECB with much needed reassurance that a downturn in the 2H of 2018 was temporary. Still, manufacturing weakness is likely to weigh on its performance in the 1H,” said Bloomberg economists.

At French retail giant Carrefour SA, CFO Matthieu Malige called the backdrop “challenging and volatile”, and noted “political and social instabilities” in Europe. It’s seen some of those first hand in the violence surrounding the Yellow Vest protests.

In Italy, where Carrefour also has stores, the fractious coalition government appears to be barely holding together amid disagreement after disagreement. The country’s economy, sluggish at best, and its mountain of debt are another problem.

Along with weaker demand, companies are being pounded by higher raw material costs, notably energy. Consumer goods maker Henkel AG & Co KGaA described an “increasingly challenging” environment as it reported earnings that fell short of expectations.

“The market continues to be volatile, as evidenced by the most recent hike in crude oil prices,” said CEO Hans Van Bylen.

It’s a lot for ECB officials to digest as the mid-year point approaches. They’ll hold their next policy meeting in early June, when their assessment of the economy will determine the terms they put on new loans soon to be offered to banks.

Governing Council member Ardo Hansson said in a Bloomberg interview last week that there are “green shoots”, and it’s worth waiting a while to judge if the economy needs more stimulus.

“We’ve touched the trough and it should improve again,” said Christoph Weil, an economist at Commerzbank AG. — Bloomberg